Tell me how Sesame Street got to us

The Complete History of Sesame Street

By Michael Davis

Viking, 379 pages, $31

This review is brought to you by the letter H and by the number 40.

If this paraphrase strikes a chord, then you're among the three generations of folks who've watched Sesame Street, the longest running children's show on television, more times than you can count.

You've hummed the songs, laughed at Cookie Monster and, undoubtedly, purchased the licensed product that comes with 40 years of award-winning TV success.

For that, you have the late Jim Henson, creator of the show-starring Muppets, to thank.

But Michael Davis, the Pennsylvania-based author of Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street, is entitled to a few kudos of his own.

A seasoned journalist and editor, Davis has turned five years of research on the Sesame Street phenomenon into an authoritative, entertaining social history on children's television and preschooler educational programming in America. Not bad for a first-time author.

Street Gang works on many fronts. It details the trials, triumphs and trash-talk inherent in creating -- and sustaining -- television targeted to children.

Many folks wrongly assume that puppeteer genius Henson singlehandedly pulled Bert, Ernie and Big Bird out of his creative hat and simply stuck them on the small screen.

In fact, it took three years of research and wrangling by early education experts and public broadcasters to ready Sesame Street for its Nov. 10, 1969, launch on a handful of American PBS TV stations. (Even then, the show went down to the wire unnamed, and almost aired as "123 Avenue B.")

By today's standards, its debut was a modest one. Some educators doubted the show's credibility factor, betting that Sesame Street would fall flat on its TV face.

Bombarding kids with short snappy info segments, they said, wasn't a teaching style conducive to preschooler learning. Googly-eyed puppets, a few no-name adult actors and some B-list celebrities wouldn't appeal to parents.

After all, they sniffed, this wasn't the way things were done on the hot kiddie TV shows of the '50s and "60s -- Captain Kangaroo, Howdy Doody and Ding Dong School.

But succeed the Street has. It has won more than 100 Emmys, is televised in 140 countries around the world and has spawned 25 independent versions.

It has exposed millions of preschool kids to ABCs, 123s and good manners 101, all while showcasing some of life's common experiences -- divorce, death, bullying, feelings, breastfeeding -- with dignity and insight.

However, Davis's biggest gift with this history book is his ability to introduce readers to the eclectic mix of writers, producers, songsters and puppeteers that have taken Sesame Street from eccentric idea to small screen success. Sure, Henson was the heart and soul of Sesame Street.

But the innovative thinkers who have kept developing the show and its characters since Henson died in 1990 deserve their own time in the spotlight too. Davis gives it to them in biographical spades.

Street Gang tells readers how we got to Sesame Street. Who knew?

G.C. Cabana-Coldwell is a Winnipeg writer.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 5, 2009 B8